Just Lucas
by 122940756
Summary: Barry notices something has been off with his best friend as of late and attempts to get to the bottom of it. Lucas begrudgingly complies. Post-game, god complex, Clingyshipping.


"Y'know," he remarked through the food currently occupying his mouth as he munched away, "you haven't said very much since you got here."

Two boys stood side by side near the edges of the Fight Area, each holding food. Stars were just beginning to twinkle in the murky orange-violet sky sprawling above them, and the bustle that was ever present during the midday hours were beginning to dwindle down now that twilight was approaching. The blonde boy who had spoken leaned lazily on the railings behind them, chowing down on the burger he'd purchased for dinner and side-eyeing his companion curiously.

The darker haired boy beside him stood straight, regarding the burger the blonde had bought for him absently in his hands. "Really? Sorry."

Barry continued to look at him, his sideways glance morphing into a head-on stare as he turned his head. There was no denying it—something was off about his friend. He had noticed it as soon as they'd met that evening. The usual good nature of his demeanor was gone, as was any trace of humor. His expression had stayed stoic even through Barry's usual jokes. "'s nothin' to be sorry for."

Still, no reaction. Lucas seemed to hesitate for a few more seconds before finally taking a bite of his burger.

Hazel eyes turned back toward the sea. "We must both be tired, then," he concluded, though he knew with certainty that it was not exhaustion that plagued Lucas' attitude now. "I dunno what you've been doing lately, but Daddy's training regimen has been _brutal_. It feels like I've been battling for two weeks straight!" He huffed. "It's not as if I need the practice. How many other people are there that can go toe to toe with the champion and hold their own?"

Lucas blinked at his title. "Exhausting, you? That's a lot of battling," he said. His voice was neutral, but he looked at the blonde briefly as he said it.

Barry decided to humor the joke and laughed. "Tell me about it! I can actually finish my thoughts now! It's kind of scary."

Another bout of silence followed, Barry finishing his burger and Lucas taking one more bite before re-wrapping it.

"What about you?" He figured asking wouldn't hurt. "Anything interesting with you? Champion duty probably isn't crazy fun, but it's gotta be cool being at the top, huh?" He found himself bouncing in place and quickly stopped. He could be patient.

Or so he thought. As the silence dragged on, he grew more and more _im_ patient. The urge to start tapping his foot was excruciating; he managed to resist, although he did cross his arms. He had even opened his mouth to follow it up with another encouraging particle before his friend finally got around to answering.

"I can't think of anything more mundane," he finally replied, with a hint of a sigh in his voice. "It's a waste of my time."

Barry was a little taken aback. It wasn't like Lucas to be so blunt about things he didn't care for, let alone something so highly regarded as the Pokemon League. "Seriously? There's gotta be _something_ about it you like."

That was the first time that day Barry heard Lucas laugh, though it was more of a swift blowing of air out of his nose.

The blonde frowned in response. "Well, if you hate it that much, just give the position back to Cynthia or something. What about Mt. Coronet? You said you were gonna go check it out after you heard about its connections with that blue flute."

Now, Barry wasn't the most observant fellow in the world; he could be asked to describe the last opponent he'd faced that day and his answer wouldn't be much more than a given gender. But the second his next inquiry had exited his mouth, he could not only see Lucas' entire disposition shift, but _feel_ it too. It was akin to the last time Barry had ever battled him, on the home stretch of Victory Road. The hairs on his neck stood up.

 _Something_ had gone down, that much was certain.

Lucas looked as if he was contemplating something serious. "…I'm not sure if you'd believe me," he said flatly, locking his gaze with the expectant hazel eyes currently trained on him.

Barry blinked. "I don't know if there's anything less believable than you and Cyrus and Cynthia doing battle in _another dimension's purgatory_ , but feel free to try me?"

The dark-haired boy still didn't look convinced.

He was beginning to get frustrated. "Look, Lucas, now that you've built it up like this, I _will_ die of suspense if you don't tell me. So what is it!? I swear I won't not believe you."

The intensity of Lucas' eyes only escalated. It was as if he was staring right down into the very depths of his soul. The steely blue gaze pierced him, and Barry shivered involuntarily. He felt like he was being held up to and judged against divine criteria, being deemed worthy of something. Worthy of _what_ , he did not know.

After what felt like ages, Barry got his answer. "Let's go," the other boy finally said.

"Where?"

Lucas had pulled one of his pokéballs from his belt and tossed it into the air. "To Mt. Coronet."

"Wh—right _now?!_ " Barry watched as Lucas climbed onto his Honchkrow. "It's about to be dark!"

Lucas saddled his pokémon, patting its neck. "I thought you were going to die of suspense?"

Barry's face reddened.

The dark-haired boy's face broke into a small smile. "It'll be alright. Just follow me."

* * *

The top of the mountain was very quiet compared to the flight up to it. The howling winds gave way to a somber stillness that resonated, giving pause to even the fidgety blonde's flighty tendencies. It felt different since the last time he had been there, in the midst of that showdown with Team Galactic—less urgent, more humbling. Barry thought maybe he should offer some kind of prayer.

A quick glance westward, on the other hand, presented him with the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. The sun was dipping down below the horizon now, and brilliant shades of red, orange and purple stretched across the western half of Sinnoh as far as his eyes could see, splaying across the dilapidated marble pillars surrounding them. The stars were more visible than before; he felt as though he could reach up and touch the vast expanse of space above him.

Barry must have spent a good five minutes in awe, staring wide-eyed at the scene before him. When he managed to remember where he was, he caught Lucas staring at him from a little ways away, a small smile on his face.

He felt somewhat embarrassed. "What?" he half-huffed, stepping down from the pile of rocks he'd scaled for a better view.

"Nothing," the dark-haired boy insisted, averting his eyes a bit. "Just thought that the colors suited you."

The orange glow surrounding them didn't hide Barry's reddish complexion. He decided to take the compliment in stride, coughing a little. "So, we're here. What happened?"

Lucas met his eyes again, the smile gone. "Hold on," he said, before shrugging the bag he carried off his shoulders and beginning to rummage through it. Ten seconds later, he held up a shiny blue flute.

Barry's eyes widened. "Oh… Oh my _God_ , did you find out what it was for?" he nearly shouted before remembering his surroundings. He knew that there were legends that spoke of the flute, but its exact purpose was unknown to him.

When the other boy merely beckoned him closer, the blonde obliged. He watched as Lucas brought the flute to his lips, and listened intently as he blew into it.

Though Lucas did not make any effort to play it properly, the flute emitted a melody that was unlike anything that belonged in the world surrounding them; the sound that echoed throughout the area gave him chills.

A bright light pierced through the air before them, forcing Barry's eyes instinctively shut. He reached a hand out to reassure himself that Lucas was alright beside him, grunting as his eyes adjusted to the sudden shine. But as soon as it had come, it was gone, leaving in its wake a steep staircase that glimmered as if it was formed from the very light that had dissipated. It rose high into the sky above them.

Barry blinked the blindness from his wide eyes, gaping upwards. He looked from Lucas' rather unimpressed face to the sky and back several times, wanting to say something but finding himself unable to speak.

He watched as the other boy walked up to the first step and began to ascend. After a few steps, he turned to watch Barry. The blonde was struck with the thought that this scene, with Lucas standing decisively upon a golden set of stairs contrasting sharply with the darkening sky draped around him, was quite telling. It felt as if though the boy was miles away from him, completely and utterly out of reach.

It was not the first time he had felt that way.

Swallowing thickly, Barry decided that speaking right now was not necessary. Ginger steps led him up to the stairs, following the boy up as they resumed their trek. He tried to focus on Lucas' back, ignoring the fact he could see through the translucent steps below him. The higher they rose, the colder it became; the wind picked up and the blonde fought to suppress his shivers.

He was beginning to feel uneasy. Barry had no idea how Lucas' weirdness and this staircase of light could be connected, but he was starting to wonder if he really wanted to know after all.

The end of their climb was unceremonious. They now stood upon a large golden platform, seemingly serving no purpose other than provide an end to the stairs' rise. Something in Barry's stomach was clenching—he felt incredibly out of place here. The phenomena around them was grandiose and unpleasant; warm and yet off-putting. He was trespassing on something he had no hope of comprehending.

When Lucas spoke next, it made him jump. "You wanted to know what I found here," he reminded them both. His voice was very quiet, but the blonde heard him quite clearly.

"Yeah, I did," was his response, and he sighed as if he had just let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. The unspoken _but I don't think I do anymore_ lingered on his lips for a moment before he closed his mouth.

The look in Lucas' eyes was almost apprehensive, but if he was truly having second thoughts he did not let it show. In his hand was a purple pokéball that Barry vaguely remembered Professor Rowan lecturing them about some time ago. He didn't understand the relevance of its presence until a finger on the button in the middle split the thing wide open.

 _There's no way—_

The familiar sound of releasing a pokémon from its dormancy should have been thrilling, but there was no amount of excitement or nostalgia that could stand up to the wave of dread that came rushing through him. Barry's heart rate quickened and subsequently skipped a beat or six when he laid eyes on the creature before him.

Elegant limbs of pure white outstretched gently but firmly. Adorned by golden ornamentation, the being floated gently, just above the platform's surface. The area around it seemed to warp, and it radiated the same gross warmth he had felt before, magnified tenfold. Green pupils pierced right through Barry's core like a lance, effectively paralyzing him; he was hard-pressed to even breathe. This was no pokémon.

This was God.

The dark-haired boy who stood fast in the wake of such a force seemed to be observing his friend's reaction. "The flute led me straight to Arceus," he explained, unbidden. "I could hardly believe it."

Barry found it within him to attempt to swallow; his throat had gone dry.

Lucas' gaze had since wandered over to the godly creature beside him, completely unfazed. "Professor Rowan said that the Master Ball could catch any pokémon without fail…" he trailed off, leaving the obvious conclusion unsaid. The blonde almost flinched when Lucas looked back in his direction, side-eyeing him. "And if Arceus is captured, then what does that make me?"

Barry wasn't stupid. He knew what kind of answer Lucas was looking for with the question, and he also knew that he didn't agree with that answer—it was in that moment that everything clicked. The strange way he had been acting, the odd aura surrounding him, the reason they hadn't seen each other recently. Lucas truly believed he had changed.

He shifted his body a bit, made sure he still had motor skill left in him. "I guess it makes you a pretty good Trainer," he said, and he was irritated at how small his voice sounded.

The other boy laughed. "I was a pretty good Trainer before," he corrected. The smile he now wore was uncanny—he didn't look happy at all. "Now, I have the power of a god." He flexed his fingers. "I can prevent any more strife from happening in the world."

His words sounded uncannily familiar. Not so much the phrase itself, but the way he said it. Barry didn't like it. "Could you?" he asked. "It's not like Arceus just started existing when you played the flute." Barry looked down at the faint glow of the platform under his feet, and through it to the world below. "There's always been strife in the world. And there's always been Arceus. Just because you caught the physical form of it doesn't mean you make it do something it couldn't do in the first place."

Silence rang out through the air. When Barry lifted his gaze to confront Lucas once more, he nearly flinched. His furrowed brow exhibited more emotion than the blonde had seen from him all day. Though he lamented the fact it was trained on him currently, Barry much preferred this kind of face to the ones he had previously worn.

"I wasn't aware you were so invested in the semantics of it," he finally responded, voice still cool. "Let me try again. Now, I can _borrow_ the power of a god. I can _use it_ to prevent any more strife from happening in the world."

"What gives you the right?"

Barry didn't know if his eyebrows could come down any lower than they already had been, but somehow they managed. "What are you…what are you talking about?" The dark-haired boy seemed to be genuinely confused. "If someone has the opportunity to put an end to the grief in the world, they should do it."

"And what if they didn't?" Barry's voice was growing louder, regardless of the god-like being that was currently watching over their exchange. Perhaps even in spite of it.

Lucas looked almost disgusted. "Then they're a fool."

The blonde's face softened. He found himself feeling relieved. "I guess you're right," he conceded. "If they _could_ do that, there'd be no reason not to." He took a step forward, looking at the shining form of Arceus who still lingered in the air, eyes focused on nothing in particular. "But you can't." He paused for a moment. "And I think you know that."

Barry could feel Lucas' eyes bore into him from outside his field of vision. He took a deep breath. "Without things like grief and evil, there can't be things like happiness and good. That's just the way humans and pokemon are. We can't achieve a perfect world without taking humans out of the equation…I thought we learned that from Team Galactic?"

" _Don't_ ," Lucas started, and his anger had seeped into the word before he regained his composure, "compare this to what they were doing. Humanity doesn't need to be fixed or eradicated; we just need to deal with the wicked people before they can cause any harm."

"What do you think the police exist for?" Barry shook his head. He knew that his dear friend only wanted to avoid a repeat of what had happened a year ago. He had no idea what had gone on that day in the portal the legendary Giratina had made, but he could only assume it had something to do with Lucas' thought processes now. "They can't solve everything, or catch everyone instantaneously before bad things happen. It sucks. But neither can you. Even with Arceus' help, you can only do so much."

The dark-haired boy's face mirrored the murky sky behind him. The look in his eyes told Barry that he was right—Lucas knew all of this. After a few moments of silence between them, he raised a hand up. The blonde watched as Arceus was pulled back into the purple pokéball and tucked away into his thick blue jacket.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Barry took a few steps closer to his friend. "I can't lie and say that I understand what you're thinking, or how it feels to have caught something like that," he gestured to the other boy's chest, "but I know you're trying to do what you think is best, and I think—no, I _know_ that's an awesome thing."

"I thought you might understand," Lucas murmured. "You've seen first-hand what people with evil hearts and a strong will can do."

"I have! What Cyrus and the others did… it was absolutely, one-hundred percent _horrible_." He still shivered at the memory of the world going dark, the ground trembling, the sky warping. "But you know what? They've been dealt with. The world is safe again. For now. And you know who did that, right?" Barry's hazel eyes locked with Lucas' steely blue ones. " _You_ did. You saved Sinnoh. And the _world_ , Lucas. Without Arceus. I…I mean, I think you've done plenty, don't you?"

His expression was hard, but his eyes were reminiscing. "I can _not_ let anything like that happen ever again," he said finally, and his voice was quiet. "And if I have to judge people with Arceus' power in order to do that, then so be it."

"Lucas," Barry said flatly.

Before he could continue, the aforementioned boy interrupted him. "I was afraid to tell you, you know," he mused, shifting his gaze away for a moment. "I didn't know how you would react. There was the possibility that you might reject me, and that… it scared me."

The blonde blinked.

"But I wanted you to know." Slowly their eyes met again, and Lucas' eyes were intense. "It felt like you were the only one I could tell." His shoulders, stiffened as if he was on edge and had been the whole time, went slack. His mouth seemed to faintly tremble. "Do you hate me now?"

For the first time, Barry wanted to laugh. It didn't seem appropriate, though, so he settled with a small smile. "There's nothing you could do to make me hate you, Lucas," he assured, and watched as the edge in the dark-haired boy's eyes softened. "Promise."

As Lucas closed his eyes, Barry continued. "You asked me earlier what you were now that you have Arceus," he reminded, stepping closer to the other boy. Once within arms' reach, he rested his palms on either side of Lucas' shoulders, and squeezed despite the way he flinched at the touch. "And I lied. Well, I didn't lie—you _are_ a pretty great Trainer—but you've basically always been one. Know what else you are?"

Lucas looked slightly alarmed at how close they were. "…what's that?"

Barry smiled. "Just a guy from small town. Who also happens to be the Sinnoh League Champion…and my best friend in the whole world."

His eyes widened. The blonde laughed. "But I don't think a guy who goes around playing a vigilante god could qualify for that position, so—"

"Barry," he was interrupted, and when Barry reopened his eyes he was greeted by the other boy's face, a _lot_ closer now than it had been previously. He could feel gentle puffs of air on his skin, and it made his heart beat fast. Lucas' gaze held the same intensity it had before, but the underlying emotion was completely different. Their faces seemed to be inching closer of their own accord, and Barry decided to close his eyes again. They were about to—

It happened a little sooner than the blonde had anticipated. He had to shift his face down a little bit, but they were definitely kissing. Lucas' lips were chapped, and Barry was sure his own were too, but when their mouths touched it had sent a jolt of… _something_ so poignant down his spine that he couldn't bring himself to care at all. His hands found Lucas' face as their lip-lock continued, and when the boy leaned into his touch, Barry almost forgot where they were and what the precursor to this life-changing event had been.

The cool breeze felt sharp upon their lips as they parted, breathing just a bit harder than usual. It had darkened considerably since they'd arrived, with little more than the ethereal light from the platform below illuminating the duo, but Barry could see Lucas' eyes shining before him. "I love you," he said, and the blonde was sure he could see stars twinkling within his irises.

The kiss had been no problem, but upon hearing this Barry began to falter. He could feel his cheeks burning long before he was able to speak. "I-I…I love you, too, duh!" he exclaimed before catching himself. If the other boy was offended, though, he masked it very well; Lucas just laughed.

"But! Don't try to change the subject!" Barry's hands fell back down to jacketed shoulders. "You're not going to play God, right?" He didn't know what he'd say to his mother if Lucas became some kind of crazed deity.

The good mood between them wavered. Lucas lowered his head a bit, looking conflicted. "I have to take responsibility for what I've done," he eventually answered. "I don't plan on sitting idly by while people take advantage of the world."

The blonde hummed. "You know, you could always just _release_ Arceus," he suggested, eyeing the pocket Lucas had deposited the Master Ball into.

Lucas looked offended. "And risk someone like Team Galactic catching it? I don't think so," he retorted, patting his chest pocket protectively. "But, I understand your point."

"And?"

He sighed. "I'll only use Arceus' power if I really need to."

Barry found himself exhaling, noting the lack of response in regard to the 'dealing with evil-doers' part of his plan—it was probably the best compromise he was going to get at present, though. " _Only_ if something threatens the whole world again," he clarified.

Before Lucas could respond, the alarm on his Pokétch started to beep loudly. He looked down at it, turning it off. "That's my 'feed my pokémon' alarm," he said, tilting his head to the side. "It's pretty late."

The taller boy looked down at his own Pokétch and winced. "You're right. It's past my curfew." He looked back to Lucas. "My dad's gonna kill us both."

Lucas raised his arms. "As if I'm going back with you," he scoffed. "I don't have a death wish."

Barry rolled his eyes. "What happened to taking responsibility?"

He watched as Lucas' expression twisted from surprise into playful irritation. "You… alright, fine. I'll escort you home." The dark-haired boy's complexion reddened as his companion started to laugh. "What?"

"Nothing!" Barry could hardly contain his mirth. "It's just…I like it a lot better when you're like this." He gave Lucas a warm glance. "When you're just Lucas."

That gave him pause for a moment before he smiled in return. "Yeah. Sorry."

As they readied themselves for the flight back to the Fight Area, Barry made a thoughtful sound. "The next day I have free time is Saturday. What about you?"

Lucas was in the midst of assuring his Honchkrow that he hadn't forgotten about food. "I'm not sure. I can make Saturday work, though."

"Great! It's a date, then." He grinned. "And it'll be a _ten million pokédollar_ _fine_ if you forget!"

The other boy feigned worry. "I don't have ten million pokédollars, though," he said, leaning back a bit. "Isn't there something else you could settle with?"

Barry's smile turned sly. "I could think of at least one other thing," he chuckled, and their lips met once more.


End file.
